Three, Two, One
by Jomatto
Summary: It's New Year's. Three times. Three stories. Three authors. COLLABORATION.
1. Three

**Three**

I'm alone in the crowd.

Lost in a sea of plump jackets, fluffy coats, and thick scarves is my freezing butt. Nobody knows who I am. Nobody cares. They're all too busy getting shit-faced and celebrating New Year's. I'm on my own like usual.

Even on the busiest days, Central Station was never this lively. Twilight Town is supposed to be sleepy and laid back, but when it's New Year's, that's when all the weirdos come out to play—including me.

It's early in the evening. The sun is down but the lights are set to max brightness keeping twilight alive. The air is so cold it might as well be frozen. It's not my kind of weather, but through rain, sleet, or snow, I'm always on the prowl. Nothing gets past me. I'm the guy that stares back whenever you turn around and it's not because you turned around, but because I've been staring from the start.

"What do I do now?"

Even though I'm muttering under my visible breath, the people next to me turned with a surprised look that asks why I'm even here. They think I'm a creeper. The name's Pence. Creeping is what I do. Officially speaking, I'm a freelance photographer, although some would label me with something slimier:

Paparazzi.

Nothing sells like a picture of someone rich and famous doing something they shouldn't be doing. I catch celebrities at their worst like when they're getting drunk, getting arrested, or getting kicked out of some night club. My favorite kind of celebrity is the cheating kind because their infidelity pays the bills and then some.

And that's why New Year's sucks. Everyone's on their best behavior. The rich and famous from all over the world come to Twilight Town's Station Plaza for our annual tradition of counting down together as our iconic clock tower strikes midnight. Cue the confetti, fanfare, and kisses.

I'm not interested in the concerts or the interviews or whatever else they've got going on. That's already covered. I'm more interested in what's going on behind the scenes but on New Year's, there's nothing for me. All I'm gonna get tonight are a bunch of boring photos of couples making out. Not much else I can do besides warm up.

I rub my gloved hands together and check the camera hanging around my neck. I hope the cold isn't gonna mess it up. These things aren't cheap. I look through the photos I've already taken—smiles, hugs, and well wishes—things I wouldn't know what to do with.

When I think back on it, it's easy to see why I fell into this role. I was never the type to stand out. I couldn't even be a supporting character. I'm the tree for someone else's stage play. I knew I'd never be the star. I lacked the looks, the physique, or the personality. So I got behind the camera.

I might've once had aspirations to push the boundaries of photography to its artistic limits, but when I saw the most popular guy in high school making out with his not-girlfriend in the loner's corner of the library, there was no way I wasn't taking that shot. That was my first step into the world of scandalous enterprise and life hasn't been the same since.

People are gluttonous vultures. They crave gossip. When I saw the hoopla my photo caused, I realized that everybody needed something to distract them from their dull uneventful lives. My camera was the great equalizer. Catching the best at their worst restored balance to society. Our bitter envy and jealous rage would be purged by their mistakes.

I leveraged my unassuming and unattractive appearance to find beautiful angles for photos that Big Brother himself would be proud of. It hasn't come without my fair share of struggle. Just because I'm utterly unremarkable doesn't mean I became invisible. I've gotten kicked out of more places than I can count, but each failure has brought me closer to becoming grand master ninja.

It's not even about taking pictures anymore. Snapping the shot became a formality, a predictable outcome to an unpredictable situation. It's about the foreplay. The thrill's in the planning, the cunning, and the guts. Getting in and out undetected is the key.

It's a risky business. These are millionaires I'm playing with. One careless mistake and my fat ass is getting sued. They think me a parasite but I prefer to see it as symbiosis. Getting caught with your pants down—literally—may just be the kick in the pants needed to reignite a flagging career. I've seen it many times—I've done it many times. These celebrities oughta be thanking me for my fine service.

Maybe that's the reason I'm still walking around the streets of Twilight Town. I know I'm a part of the problem, but when it pays this well—let's just say I'm in no rush to become a part of the solution.

The night has been a bust so far. The only highlight was a drunken bum in an alley having a go at a trashcan, but the sordid display was quickly broken up by event security. They always ruin the fun. Moving around is tough. I can hardly take one step without landing on someone's toes.

My pocket suddenly vibrates with an incoming text. It's from Selphie, a business associate. She's my partner in crime and runs the dirtiest gossip blog around thanks in no small part to my contributions. It went from a dusty webpage to a pillar of the entertainment world. Her sources are everywhere. I don't know how she knows half the things she knows. It's terrifying. She's the last person anyone with a reputation would want to piss off. With her tips and my camera, we make quite the vicious duo.

I check the message:

 _I hear from a little birdy that Roxy and his new co-star have chemistry. Check it out._

Interesting. Roxas is the main character of this year's hottest new television show. As a rising star, he hasn't been in the spotlight long enough for any dirt to show up. I once tried to get pictures of him and his girlfriend in a restaurant but failed. Instead of getting angry like everyone else, he graciously allowed me to take posed photos of him and his girl, Xion.

That's how you know someone's new to showbiz. Letting me take pics is the same as letting the burglar in. He's a standup guy though and doesn't seem like the type to cheat. I guess the more rich and famous you get, the harder it is to resist temptation.

I know that he's filming a new movie in town. His co-star is an upcoming actress named Naminé. They might be part of the main event taking place in the middle of the plaza. It's free publicity for their new project. They have to be there. There's a restricted area for the performers. It's cordoned off with large privacy curtains and trailers.

I have to squeeze through the crowd somehow. I'm not the slimmest guy around, so I throw my weight forward and plow through. I don't pay any mind to the annoyed glances thrown my way. I'm a man on a mission and nothing's gonna stop me...until I hit the security line. A tanned muscle head in a black suit blocks the entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" asks the guard.

I zip down my coat and hold up my media badge. It's genuine. Just because I do dirty work doesn't mean I sneak in everywhere. "I'm here to take photos, big guy."

"The media section is that way," he says, pointing over my shoulder to the other side. "Now get lost."

"Just hold up a minute. I'm supposed to be here, okay? I've got an appointment for a behind the scenes photo session for Vanity Faire. Ever heard of it? It's one of the biggest entertainment outlets in the world. And guess what? It's under Shinra Media Corp, the same company that's sponsoring this event.

"I'm surprised you didn't get the memo. Just speak to your supervisor. Actually, you know what? If we're talking PR credentials, we gotta go higher. The head of public relations would be overseeing this.

"Now you can stand there, tell me no and raise a stink, forcing me to talk to my editor, and that's not just anybody, but the editor in chief and the one personally responsible for setting this up. She is also good friends with the PR head.

"If you don't let me through, this will mostly likely result in you getting fired for no reason when all you had to do was let me in because we're both here to do our damn jobs, aren't we? So if you'll excuse me, let's not make any trouble and let me go."

"No."

Well, I tried my best. Security's too tight. Nothing I can do about that. I'm about to walk away but someone calls me.

"Hey you!"

I turn to see a pretty girl with auburn hair and a headset. She's looking right at me. I know better than to get excited. She whispers into the guard's ear and beckons me with her hand. I walk in smugly as the guard grudgingly moves aside. I follow my unexpected helper to the trailers.

"Thanks for getting me in, uh...?"

"You don't need to know my name," she says pleasantly. "You don't know what I do and I don't know what you do. Let's keep it that way. But we both have a mutual acquaintance."

"Selphie."

She confirms with a nod. "It's impossible to get in here without inside help. So if anyone asks, we never met."

"Obviously." That's usually the extent of my interaction with co-conspirators. No names, no details, just business.

She leads me around several trailers until we stop in front of one in particular. On the front door it says Roxas.

"I'll make sure nobody comes around," she says. "Good luck."

Selphie's resourcefulness never fails to amaze. I don't know anyone more connected. I won't ask questions though, because my job is to shoot first and let someone else make up the answers. I'm back in my element. No more people to deal with.

I examine the trailer carefully. It's bigger than my apartment and probably twice as nice inside. Any sense of guilt from what I do is expunged by their extravagance. First rule of paparazzi: never feel sorry. I walk around hoping for any sign of weakness but all the windows are covered.

The only way I can possibly look inside without disturbing them is by getting on top. I check around for any witnesses. The coast is clear. I climb up the trailer ladder as quietly as I can and lay down on my belly when I reach the top. Crawling keeps a low profile and it's quieter.

There's light leaking through the roof. I move towards the first bright window I see. It's a frosted skylight. Can't see anything through it. Then I see the trailer hatch. Looks like someone forgot to close it all the way. A thin rim of light reveals an inch of opening. That's all I need.

I peek through the crack. I've got a view, now all I need is the angle. I shimmy around the hatch until—bingo. I see a handsome man and a blonde beauty inside with the former hugging the latter from behind. An intimate embrace. Something often seen but never felt. Selphie's little birdie was right on the money. I grip my camera and adjust the lens.

Second rule of paparazzi: modify your camera so that it doesn't make noise. It's unsatisfying without that shutter click, so I add it mentally.

Snap.

Snap.

OH SNAP.

That escalated quickly. Roxas, you sly son of a bitch. For all I know, they could be rehearsing, but the truth doesn't matter. I'll leave the explanations to the headlines. It sucks that they moved out of the frame but I got what I needed. Time to get down and get out. Security is supposed to keep people from coming in, so getting out is a cinch.

"What do I do now?"

I can repay Selphie for the tip or I can do something better. That's the beauty of freelance. I have the luxury of selling to the highest bidder. In this case, I can't sell to any rival outlets since she'll know right away that it's me, so the only other prospective client is the very person I just shot.

Roxas hasn't done me any wrong. After that incident when we first met, he even gave me his number. I lean against a rail by the train station steps. It's a decent distance away from the main stage. I take out my phone and shoot him a text:

 _I got pictures of you and your new girlfriend._

It's a shame. Roxas and Xion looked real good together. I read that they were childhood friends. You hardly see that kind of pure relationship in this business. People were rooting for them. If this gets out, I can't imagine the shitstorm that'll follow.

 _Who dis?_

Someone isn't pleased.

 _If you don't want your photos getting out, meet me by the station steps. You'll know who I am._

I hope he recognizes me. If not, I've got a giant expensive camera around my neck. Everyone else is using their phones to take pictures.

 _Don't go anywhere._

Judging from his quick response, he's desperate. I back up the photos on a memory card in case he does something dumb like break my camera. It's happened a few times before. I look up at the clock tower. About half an hour before the fireworks start.

My thoughts drift. This year wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. Sometimes, I ask myself what the hell I'm doing but I never have the answer. I do what I do because it's the only thing I know how to do. I wish I didn't have to invade people's privacy for a living but I can't imagine doing anything else.

"Is it you?" asks a man in a hoodie. It's Roxas. He went out in disguise. Celebrities never look like they do in the movies. Makes sense. They're just normal people with abnormal fortunes. He seems angry.

"Let's find someplace more private to talk." I lead him to a less crowded area. I pull up the photos on my camera and show it to him. "How much are you willing to pay?"

He grabs the camera for a closer look, forcing me forward since it's strapped to my neck.

"Easy on the grip," I say, tearing it out of his hands. "Relax, will you? It's not going anywhere."

He paces back and forth, shaking his head in disbelief. "How... Who are you?"

"We actually met once before in a restaurant. That's how I got your number. I bet you never thought I'd hit you up for something like this."

He doesn't remember. That's okay though. It's to my advantage that they don't. "What do you plan to do with it?"

"That depends," I answer. "I could sell it and have it be the opening story on New Year's or... You can buy it and nobody would know. I feel sorry for Xion either way."

"It's not like that—"

"I just wanna know whether you're buying or not." I don't want to hear any sob stories. They might actually convince me. They're actors after all.

"You're an asshole," he says, scoffing. "How much do you want?"

"Five thousand."

"Five thousand?!"

"Compared to how much the PR blow would cost you at this stage in your career, I'd say that's quite the bargain."

"I don't have that kind of munny on me."

"I don't need it in cash. Just transfer it to my bank account. You got your phone, don't you?"

"I can't believe this." He takes out his phone and brings up his bank app.

"First time you've been caught? Don't worry. Every actor goes through it. Just be glad that your first time was with me. I keep things honest." I show him my phone. "Send the munny to this user name."

He enters the information but stops short of submitting. "I should talk to a lawyer. How do I know you're not gonna sell those photos to someone else after getting my money?"

"You don't. But if I did that, nobody would trust me again. I'm in this business for the long term. There's no reason for me to break my word."

He pushes the payment through reluctantly and I accept it on my end. The transaction is a success. Fast, efficient, and painless—if only everyone else was like this. I take my camera and delete the photos in front of his eyes and hand him the backup memory card. He glares at it.

"Don't you feel any shame at all?"

"I'm not the one cheating on my girlfriend."

"Fuck you, man. You don't know anything." He pockets the card and turns around. "I don't wanna ever see you again."

"Happy New Years!"

He flips me off as he disappears into the crowd. He was nicer the first time we met. Surprising since he has a kind reputation. I have that effect on people.

I sigh, feeling a little disappointed. We could've been friends. But I chose the money. It's easier this way. I can only see the bad in people. And this leaves me right where I started a year ago and the year before that—in the cold. I should update Selphie on the situation.

 _Sorry, couldn't get anything._

Not a bad way to end the year. Sure, I've added another hater to my impressive collection of celebrities, but I'm richer for it. There's a reason I enjoy doing what I do; it's because I have to. If I don't, I'm reminded of what I'm really doing.

The crowd gets incredibly loud. I look at the clock tower again. The countdown's already starting. The volume jacks up with each passing second. We're getting close. The anticipation is palpable. All the time in the world runs out tonight.

" **Ten!** "

I end another year alone.

" **Nine!** "

That's why I'm out here with this crowd.

" **Eight!** "

I don't I have to get drunk by myself.

" **Seven!** "

And I can forget about the creeping, the lies, and the hate.

" **Six!** "

To try and convince myself that it's worth it.

" **Five!** "

Can't tell if I'm getting tired or just getting started.

" **Four!** "

As long as I'm getting paid...

" **Three!** "

But I can't call this a living.

" **Two!** "

I need to stop watching life through the viewfinder.

" **One!** "

And try taking my own picture for once.

" **Happy New Year!** "

Maybe next year.


	2. Two

**Two**

 **9:49 PM**

Of all the things to do at a party with a lot of people he didn't know, losing his phone was one of the worst possible things Roxas could've done. At worst, someone already walked out with it and he'd never see it again. In an also bad but perhaps not so serious sense, he had nothing to entertain himself with when all the people he _did_ know were busy with their plus-ones. Freaking everybody had a significant other it seemed.

Roxas rubbed his eyes and readjusted his glasses. This is all because he got swept up in the New Year hoopla. He could've easily spent his night at home playing video games or falling asleep before midnight even came around. Instead he was here, wandering his friend's house and digging between seat cushions to find his phone. If it wasn't in someone's pockets, then it had to be in one of the couches, because it definitely wasn't out in the open or in the bathroom or in the fridge.

Roxas walked to the outside patio to inspect the furniture only to see his ex-girlfriend from high school, Xion, making out with her boyfriend, and wow were they going at it. Like, they were _really_ going at it. Roxas's hand flew to cover his mouth. God damn, it looked like they were trying to suck each other's tongues out.

He knew she'd be here—both of them used to be very close to Axel when they all lived in the same town—but nothing could have prepared him for the show she was putting on.

"Hey Rox— whoa, Xion! Go in and get it!" Axel, the host of the party and Roxas's best friend, hollered as he closed the sliding glass door behind him.

Xion (Roxas realized he was still watching her—gross.) broke away from her boyfriend. "Don't make your jealousy so obvious, Axel!" she shot back.

For some stupid reason, Roxas was still looking at his ex-girlfriend, so naturally their eyes met. In that moment, Roxas fulfilled his "awkward eye contact" quota for the evening. Xion didn't fare much better—she almost looked apologetic. Roxas finally looked away when it looked like she and her boyfriend were joining the beer pong match just a few paces away.

"Wow. It's been… how long now? And you two are still awkward as fuck," Axel said, turning back to Roxas.

"I honestly don't know why. We're over it, really, but it's just… I don't even know. I don't know where to start," Roxas tried to explain.

"I don't think she does either. Anyway," Axel said as he spread his arms wide, "what do you think? I did a pretty damn good job, didn't I?"

Roxas laughed. Sometimes he wondered why Axel, who was already a successful twenty-five-year-old with his own start-up, valued his approval so much. "You did great, Axel. It turned out better than I could've imagined."

And it really did. Axel was one of those people with a productive hobby, which was taking on fixer-upper projects in his spare time. This house was one of them: as if his start-up wasn't enough work already, Axel bought himself a house in the summer and restored it to mint condition in his free time. Roxas helped out when he was able during summer break—the house was a strong gust of wind away from falling apart back then—so seeing it in such a condition today helped him appreciate the work Axel put in to make it party-ready for New Year's Eve.

"Yeah, this entire thing"—Axel motioned at the covered patio—"was done by other people, but the rest of it? That's all me."

"Yup, I know. I was here at the start, remember?" Roxas asked. "Either way, you did a lot without my help, so I give you all the credit."

Axel scratched his nose, something he did when he couldn't decide between patting himself on the back or acting modest. "Hard work, but totally worth it."

Roxas continued to listen to Axel's retelling of how he fixed his poor house, but eventually his attention roamed elsewhere—more specifically, Xion's boyfriend. Roxas made a conscious effort not to get caught looking at them playing beer pong, but now that Xion wasn't sucking his face off, Roxas got a better look.

And he kind of wished he hadn't, because damn. Like, _daaaaamn_.

Back when they were dating, Roxas had always wondered what Xion saw in him. Seeing her now—with _that_ guy—just reminded him that he used to ask himself that question all the time. The dude was goddamn beautiful, and that was the straightest way Roxas could put it.

Like, if Xion had always been capable of pulling a guy like that, then what the hell was she thinking when she settled with him? Maybe she just felt bad for him, Roxas thought. Maybe he was her charity case. Xion was never really _the girl_ in their class, and while she wasn't the physical paragon many guys coveted, she made up for it in friendliness and likability. Everyone loved her. Girl was charismatic as fuck. Clearly that was still true today.

Really, he shouldn't have ever been able to stand beside her like that. Everyone must've thought she was settling with him when they were dating.

"You get a chance to talk to Xion's boyfriend by the way?" Axel suddenly asked.

Roxas balked. Did Axel catch him? "No, I didn't. I haven't really spoken with Xion much either, so definitely not her boyfriend. Why?"

"Just wondering," Axel said, shrugging. "He seems cool."

"He looks like he's made of it, yes."

Axel laughed. "Well, I think you should talk to them. Been a while anyway, right?"

"If the chance comes up, I guess I will," Roxas replied. That chance would have to walk up to him. Roxas wasn't ever really one to look for a conversation with a stranger.

"Oh, I came out here to give you this," Axel said, producing Roxas's cell phone from his pocket.

Roxas sighed. "Oh thank god. I thought someone stole it. I've been looking ever since I noticed it was gone!"

"Yeah, the couch digging was a dead giveaway," Axel said, snickering. "And I don't know. Someone asked whose phone it was, I recognized it, so I took it. Don't know who found it or where it was, but there you go. Oh, and thanks for assuming my friends would steal your shit."

Roxas laughed. "Don't take it personally."

"Yeah, well then at least try to look like you're enjoying yourself. I saw you earlier. Why are you staring at your phone at a party? Socialize like a stereotypical college kid already. Or is there a lady friend you're meeting later and you're just not telling me?"

"You're hilarious." Roxas checked his phone. Nothing out of the ordinary. "Thanks, Axel."

"Yeah, yeah. Now you can call for a ride home when you get wasted tonight, right?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Sounds like something I'd do."

"Hey, new year, new you."

 **10:30 PM**

Xion was still under his favorites, and she was the only one too, when he opened his contacts list. He didn't really call anyone (and the only people who called him were his parents), but she had added herself to that list when she had taken his phone in the past and he never got around to take it out.

The last time he had seen Xion in person was probably a year and a half ago when they had broken up, which was about as friendly and as smooth as break-ups could get. Roxas had always thought he was playing with house money when they were together, so when she suggested that they part ways before going off to college, Roxas understood. It made sense at the time. Still made sense now. They went to different schools, would meet a lot of different people, would be eight hours away by car.

It was bound to happen.

He never wanted to stop talking to her though. Back then, they had promised they'd still be friends. Then they went their separate ways. They didn't meet up last winter break. And then she studied abroad for nearly eight months. Before he knew it, an entire year had passed and he hadn't spoken a word to her.

When he was looking at his phone, he was mostly watching her. He had so many questions. How have you been? What was it like going abroad? How long have you been dating this guy? He wanted to know if her life so far had been just as spectacular as she deserved.

Was he over her? Yeah. He had to be. Looking at her today wasn't the same as it was back then. But even if he was over her, it didn't feel like it was behind him.

A ping pong ball bounced right by his feet, catching his attention. He saw someone running after it from the corner of his eye, so he snatched it before it could go any farther. Holding out in front of him, he froze when he saw that it was Xion who ran after it. His breath caught in his throat. Was he supposed to say something?

"Thanks," Xion said easily. She plucked the ball right out of his hand.

"No problem," he said. He thought she'd walk away after that, but she stayed put.

"You wanna play?" Xion asked, pointing back to the table with her thumb.

Roxas hesitated. The whole thing felt surreal. "Uh, no thanks. I've never really played before anyway."

"Oh come on," Xion goaded. "We have like an hour left this year. Don't spend it on your phone! Come on!" She beckoned him, but didn't move. She probably wasn't going to until he moved. That was the kind of look she was giving him anyway.

Roxas sighed. He didn't know most of the people standing around the beer pong table, but giving into Xion's demands sure beat being stared at while she waited for him to follow her. She'd wait all night if she had to.

"You know what… why not?"

 **11:37 PM**

Roxas learned he had a talent for throwing ping pong balls into plastic cups from a set distance. Sure, it was a very niche skill, but it earned him the approval of people he had met just an hour ago. He wasn't _that_ good, but maybe they were all a little buzzed and one made shot every two or three tries was considered amazing.

Beer pong was also a lot more fun than he anticipated. His biggest reservation about the entire thing was throwing dirty balls into cups of beer, but these people played with water in the cups and drank from their own bottles.

He had to admit it was easy to talk with these strangers. He barely remembered most of their names, but they all seemed like decent people. It reminded him of what Axel said when he lost his phone: none of them seemed like shitty enough people that they'd walk out with his phone if they found it.

"He's going to miss," Xion said, turning her head and covering her mouth so only Roxas could hear.

Roxas smirked. Their opponent was Axel's younger sister and their high school classmate, Kairi, and Riku, Xion's boyfriend from college and plus-one for tonight.

"You seem pretty confident," Roxas said, his voice low.

"Yeah because he's terrible in the clutch." Xion eyed the table, bunching her hair in her hand. She always used to do that when she was nervous, or when she was trying to convince herself into believing something, like whether or not she studied enough (she always did, but had a hard time convincing herself). Both teams had only one cup remaining. Riku cocked his arm back and sent the ball flying, a perfect toss right into the cup.

"So much for terrible in the clutch," Roxas chuckled. He chugged the rest of his drink while Riku and Kairi celebrated.

Xion laughed. "God damn it." She downed her drink in half the time Roxas did. Had she always been able to do that?

"And with yet another win under my belt, it's time for a bathroom break," Riku said, poking Xion's sides like a fencer.

"You were bound to get lucky eventually." Xion grabbed his hands and pulled him in for a quick kiss. Roxas looked away.

It didn't really bother him that Xion was kissing another guy, but it was still a little awkward to see it. She used to kiss him like that too, standing tiptoe so she could match his height.

"Hey, Roxas," Xion suddenly called. "Help me fix this place up a bit?" She motioned to the patio.

Roxas noticed that they were the only two outside. He nodded, gather any empty bottles and abandoned cups around the area.

"You know, you did pretty well for someone who's never played before. You sure you're not some big shot over there at Twilight Town?" Xion mused.

Roxas grinned. "To be honest, I spend my Saturday nights alone in my room, shooting balls into cups from various distances. All those nights of blood, sweat, and tears so I'd be prepared for this moment."

Xion laughed. That high pitched giggle used to give him butterflies. "How have you been, really? Everything good?"

Roxas nodded again. "Yeah, I guess. I've got like, three friends, which was about what I expected when I went there. I'm not terribly social, you know that. So it's been good. Maybe not as good as yours, but still good."

"I don't remember you asking me how I've been. How do you know it's been good?" Xion asked, gingerly placing a few bottles in a recyclables bin.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't stalk people on social media. Look at you: you haven't even been on this side of the world for how many months? How was that? Studying abroad, I mean," Roxas clarified.

"Oh, so you stalk me huh?" Xion raised a brow.

"You know what I mean." Roxas tried to sit on the armrest of one of the patio chairs, but it easily tilted under his weight. He stood as gracefully as he possibly could, which wasn't very graceful at all.

Xion laughed at him. "Yeah, it was fun. If you can do it, you should. It really puts everything into perspective, you know? Like the world's so much bigger than I ever fathomed. God, when I think about where I was at the beginning of this year… I feel like I've changed a lot, you know? It makes me pretty excited for this upcoming year. What does life have in store for me? You know, something like that."

As easy as it was to fall out of contact, Roxas felt himself falling back into an old and familiar routine. Talking now reminded him how easy it had always been to talk to Xion. He used to wonder why it became so hard to talk to her. In reality, it never was.

They sat across from each other, catching up and going with the flow of the conversation. As he listened to Xion's voice, a weight seemed to lift off his chest. He missed this.

He missed Xion.

He missed listening to her and her thoughts and all her stories. He missed how she'd ask him too and give him her undivided attention even though he never had anything meaningful to share.

He wanted more than anything at that moment to be able to go back to a time when he could comfortably listen to her talk about anything.

He missed being her friend.

The sliding glass door opened behind her, interrupting their conversation. Axel poked his head out. His eyes widened for a moment before he cleared his throat.

"Uh, guys? Help."

 **11:57 PM**

Roxas poured glass after glass of champagne, working like a machine while Axel handed them out to everyone. The host had clearly gotten swept up in the party. Had his sister not reminded him of the time, they would have missed the countdown. Xion disappeared into the crowd, probably to see if everyone was okay with whatever they were drinking.

They never really got around to a meaningful conversation out there, Roxas thought. He wondered if he'd get a chance to talk to her alone again. He still wanted to ask about what she was up to and if she was happy with her boyfriend and what her living situation was like in college. Was she in the dorms? Did she get her own apartment? Was she living with Riku. He still had so many questions, and ten minutes of it squeezed between a beer pong match and a New Year's countdown was not enough to tackle all of them.

From the kitchen, Roxas heard the chatter of all the guests gathered in the living room. He placed several filled glasses on a tray before pouring the rest of the bottle into his own glass. That was it. If anyone wanted extra champagne, they'd have to fight for the last six glasses in front of him.

He could tell someone was coming. His feeling proved correct when his ex-girlfriend came into view. "Mind if I take an extra one of these?" Xion asked, walking into the kitchen. She was followed in by Axel, who wasn't looking where he was going. He bumped into her, spilling some champagne on her dress.

"Oh dang, sorry Xion"—Axel looked up and switched his gaze between them—"oh, sorry, too busy to hang around, gotta pass these out!" He grabbed a few more glasses and dismissed himself quickly, leaving the two of them alone.

Smooth, Roxas thought. Real smooth, Axel.

"You need a towel?" Roxas asked, handing her one without waiting for a reply.

"Thanks," she said, dabbing her black dress. "At least you can't see it, right?"

"You look fine," Roxas said.

"Freaking Axel. He wouldn't be rushing right now if he'd just paid a little attention." Xion sighed. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something else, but she seemed to hold back. "Well don't hide in the kitchen now. Make sure you join us in the living room for the countdown, okay?"

"Hey," Roxas called out to her before he realized what he was doing. There was one question he always wanted to ask, and since he put himself here, he thought he might as well ask. "Sorry, I just have to ask: what the heck did you see in me?"

Xion bit her lip and shook her head. "Wow, we're really bringing this out now?"

Roxas suddenly felt small. Bad idea. He shouldn't have asked. He crossed the line. "Oh, sorry. Forget I—"

"No, no, it's fine! I was kidding!" Xion reassured, smiling widely like the question genuinely amused her much to Roxas's relief. "To answer your question, I… saw someone I liked. That's all."

Roxas couldn't accept that. "Well, what's there to like?"

Xion's gaze found the floor. "Roxas, do you know why we broke up?"

Roxas shrugged. What did she tell him that day? He recounted his memory. "We were going to different schools."

Xion laughed, looking him in the eye. "It's because I never felt like you liked me as much as I liked you."

That… was not the answer he was expecting. Roxas blinked. "Huh?"

"Yeah. I'm being one hundred percent honest: you never seemed to like me that much."

"But… why me?" Roxas asked. She was being serious. After all this time, he still couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Because you're you. No, you're not the smartest guy I know, the most charming or attractive or funniest, but you were each of those in respect to yourself, and that's what I loved—what I still love, to an extent, just not the same way as before. Does that make sense? Probably not, but it's all in the past now anyway."

"But I liked you just as much! I just couldn't—you know! You were you and I was just… there."

Xion shrugged. "And I never understood why it was so hard for you to believe you were someone another person could like. I wish I could've gotten that across to you when we were still together."

The answer seemed pretty obvious to him. "It's because I've got nothing going for me."

"Well that's not true. I can't be the only girl in the world who thinks you're cute," Xion said.

Roxas blushed. He could never really handle a compliment from Xion.

Xion put her glass down and walked up to him. "Listen, instead of getting hung up on the 'why me?' stuff, focus on the fact that there was a girl out there who liked you, and that she's not going to be the only person to ever look at you and see something there. Chin up, Roxas. Have a little more confidence in yourself!" Xion said, patting him on the chest. "We were young and stupid. I should've said something back then, and you should've just accepted that I liked you. Unfortunately, neither of us did that. But hey! We're still friends, right? It didn't turn out all that bad—though I could've gone without an entire year without talking to you. I didn't need _that_ much space."

Roxas smiled. That was the first time in a long time that he felt like they were on the same page. "Yeah. For what it's worth, I didn't mean to lose contact. I wasn't really trying to avoid you."

"I know. Things just didn't line up."

Roxas nodded slowly. "Thanks, Xion. Sorry for asking."

"Not a problem," she said, picking up her glass along with an extra one. "Hey, don't be a stranger this year, alright? I know you're totally over me, so there's really no excuse."

Roxas crossed his arms. "You don't know that for sure."

"Please. To this day I wish our break up affected you more."

Something about her smile told Roxas that she understood why he didn't put up a fight back then, why he didn't do everything in his power to convince her to change her mind. He thought everything was being restored back to its natural order when they broke it off nearly two years ago. Only now did he see how much he had hurt her too.

"I'm sorry for being such a shitty boyfriend, Xion."

"As long as you don't do the same thing to the next girl, you're forgiven."

 **11:59 PM**

Roxas never understood the hype around celebrating a start from the beginning of the calendar. It was just another day, after all. Maybe everyone was just happy they survived yet another year of whatever life threw at them.

He grinned. That wasn't a very sincere thought. No, he understood perfectly well what it meant to put things behind him and look forward to something new, even if that something new was with a friend from the past.

Roxas took out his phone. His parents told him that he absolutely had to message them as soon as the new year started. Someone draped an arm over his shoulder—Axel.

Thirty seconds.

"So, year in review: what's your rating?" Axel asked.

"A solid five out of ten," Roxas answered.

"Ouch."

"Yeah, but this upcoming year shouldn't be too bad. What about you?"

Axel tapped his chin. "Let's see: start-up exploded in a good way, bought myself a house, built said house, got through the year without knocking anyone up and, oh yeah, watched my friends finally make up and get over that awful high school drama awkwardness. Congrats, by the way. It only took a year and a half. So I'm giving my year a solid nine."

Fifteen seconds.

Roxas chuckled. "Yeah, we had very different years."

Ten seconds.

"Yeah, but I think we're all in store for a great one," Axel said optimistically.

"I am going to choose to believe that." Roxas looked across the room.

Xion, with her arm wrapped around Riku's waist, looked back at him. She smiled and raised her glass. _To friends,_ she mouthed.

Roxas raised his glass. _To friends._

Three.

Two.

One.


	3. One

**One**

Kairi briefly glances at her watch.

11:30PM

 _Fifteen more minutes, fifteen more minutes,_ she inwardly chants while wiping the cashier counter clean.

Her eyes roam around the empty café. In fifteen minutes, she'd be able to sneak out. In fifteen minutes, she'd be able to join her friends in New Twilight Square's New Year festivities. In fifteen minutes, she'd be able to kiss _him_ amidst the crowd and confetti.

Technically her shift wasn't finished until midnight, but she figured that no one in their right mind would walk into the small coffee shop on the corner of the street during the last fifteen minutes of the year.

"All right Kairi, I'm going!" says her co-worker Selphie from the back room. "I left the store keys on the break table!"

"Okay, make sure to text me where you are!" Kairi hollers back. "I don't want to miss the countdown with you guys!"

"Yeah right—you just don't want to miss your midnight kiss with Tidus!" Selphie yells back knowingly.

"Well yeah," Kairi admits. "I thought that was obvious."

She hears Selphie chuckle from the back room. "All right, I'll text you when you get out, but if you're not there by midnight, that boy is all mine."

"Sounds fair," Kairi giggles in reply.

"Oh, and make sure you sneak out through the back and lock the doors from the front so that the cameras don't see you!" Selphie reminds optimistically.

"I will, thanks!" Kairi yells back.

The instant the back door shuts, Kairi finishes the last of her closing duties, and by 11:43, she has the place spotless. She offers herself a proud pat on the back before heading for the keys in the back room. She hastily removes her apron, grabs her purse and keys off the break table, but just as she's about to exit through the back, Kairi realizes that she forgot her coat on the front counter.

She walks back into the café with a bounce to her step and grabs her coat, but in the midst of turning around and slipping it on, she hears the familiar sound of jingling bells at the front door. Kairi's heart stops as she slowly tilts her head sideways to look.

Lo and behold, it was just as Kairi feared. A customer, which just so happened to be a young man with incredibly spiky brown hair, stands at the door and looks at Kairi as if she were a deer stuck in headlights.

"You probably hate me right now, don't you?" he asks sheepishly.

Kairi glances at her watch. 11:46.

 _Shit,_ she mentally curses. The café was technically still open.

Kairi then tilts her head to look at the surveillance camera in the corner of the wall, and it is in that moment that she recalls a _very_ strict rule of her manager: _"Your shift isn't over until the last customer walks out the door."_

Kairi inwardly groans. There was no getting out of this now. This was the ruthless manager that denied her the freedom she asked for on New Year's Eve, after all. There was only one thing left that she could do now: finish the guy's order and have him out the door within the next five minutes.

"No," Kairi says in reply to his question with a fake smile. "What can I get for you?" she asks, feigning sweetness while removing her coat and circling back to the cashier.

"Nutella frappe, please," the customer asks while pulling out his wallet. "Grande," he then specifies.

Kairi punches in his order. "All right. Five fifty, please."

The customer hands her the munny while squinting at her nametag. "Thanks, uh… Kairi."

Kairi hands the customer his change before replying. "You're welcome, er…"

"Sora," he introduces while raising his hand to stop her from handing him the change. "Keep it," he insists, curling her hand closed beneath his. "It's the least I could do for bothering you so late."

Kairi nearly blushes at the contact of his warm hand over hers but is quick to pull away to pocket the change.

"Oh, thank you," she says shyly. Now that she gets a good look at him up close, Kairi realizes that this Sora fellow was fairly easy on the eyes despite his messy hair. He wasn't strikingly handsome, but his baby face, although showing signs of maturity, made him sort of cute.

 _You know, from a certain angle,_ Kairi inwardly concludes.

"So, uhm…" Sora says, awkwardly rocking back and forth on his heels. "My drink?"

"Oh!" Kairi exclaims when she finds herself lost in her rather embarrassing thoughts. "Right, right… sorry."

Kairi mentally berates herself when Sora chuckles behind her knowingly. She clears her throat and wills herself to pull it together before throwing together the ingredients for his drink.

"So uh… what _are_ you doing here so late?" she asks to change the subject.

"I wanted to start the year off with my favourite drink," Sora answers in the midst of having his drink prepared. "You know, start on a good note."

Kairi hums in agreement before turning off the blender and pouring its contents into a cup. Optimistic. She appreciated that. "I'm glad one of our drinks can do that for you."

"I live for the simple things," Sora muses while accepting his beverage with a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"Oh," Kairi says upon noticing the logo on his red hoodie beneath his coat. In bold, collegiate font, the letters RGU are encased in a crest. "You go to Radiant Garden University?"

Sora, who looks just as surprised as Kairi does, looks down at his chest and grins.

"Oh, yeah I do," Sora answers. "You?"

Suddenly, Kairi finds herself outside of the café, watching the situation from the outside. Her, an innocent little high school senior, alone in an empty café with a college student. Sketchy? Yes. Was it clever to share personal information with him? Probably not. But there was something about Sora, something about his child-like smile and the very air surrounding him that made her feel comfortable with sharing things with him.

That, and on the off chance that he was actually a chainsaw murderer, he'd be caught on tape on the surveillance camera. Kairi figures she'll be doing a public service regardless.

"No," she finally answers upon returning to reality. "But they offered me an athletic scholarship for the upcoming fall semester."

Sora looks genuinely impressed. "Wow, that's awesome. Congratulations. Radiant Garden University has really great facilities for—wait…" He squints at her nametag again. "Kairi… Kairi Lockhart?"

Kairi blinks twice. That settled it. He was a chainsaw murderer sent to kill her.

"U-uh…" she stammers, ready to push herself from the counter and make a run for the back.

Sora is quick to defend himself. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm not a creep, I swear. But Kairi Lockhart… that is you, right?" Kairi slowly nods, hoping not to regret the decision. "I've heard about you before," Sora continues. "I'm on the swim team at RGU, and they told me that the school offered a scholarship to a high school swimming prodigy in New Twilight named Kairi Lockhart."

Kairi nearly laughs. "Prodigy? I wouldn't say that."

"One minute and twenty-five seconds per lap?" Sora reminds while placing his straw into the cup. "I'd say you were a mermaid, or even a waterbender."

Kairi tucks a strand of stray hair behind her left ear and smiles at the compliment, but just before she can reply, she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. Before reading the text she makes an effort to look at the time on the top right corner.

11:55.

Kairi mentally curses and reads the text from Selphie.

 _Where are you?_ she reads. _Tidus' lips are looking pretty luscious._

 _Customer came in late,_ Kairi hastily types in reply.

 _Rip,_ is all Selphie sends back.

"Have somewhere to be?" Sora asks. Kairi nearly drops her phone at his question. "It's okay, go ahead. I'd hate to deprive you of your New Year's Eve festivities more than I have already."

Kairi slowly runs her thumb across the screen of her phone.

"But what about you?" she asks. "Don't you have somewhere to be for the countdown?"

Sora outstretches his arms as if asking the air for an embrace. "Already here."

"Here?" Kairi squeaks. "As in… here here?"

Sora makes a nodding motion while taking another sip of his drink. "But please, go ahead and enjoy your countdown. I'll just be here."

Kairi closes the cashier till with suspicion. "I actually can't close the café unless everyone's gone."

Sora noticeably freezes before tilting his head mechanically with a melancholic expression. "I know this is going to sound weird, but is there a way you can like… come back and close the store _after_ the countdown?"

Kairi shuts the till with a knowing look. "You didn't just come here for the drink, did you?"

Silence.

"My mom used to own this place," Sora finally admits. "It used to be a flower shop. Now don't get me wrong, I actually love your Nutella frappes, but I just wanted to start the New Year with her while I'm visiting, you know?"

Kairi offers him a sad smile. If he truly was a chainsaw murderer, he wouldn't have let down his defenses so easily.

"I understand. I'm sorry for your loss." As Sora nods in acknowledgement, Kairi's grip slackens on her phone. She takes a deep intake of breath before sighing.

 _Goodbye, Tidus,_ she mentally says.

"You can stay," Kairi decides. Sora's face lights up like a child's on Christmas morning.

"Really? I promise I won't destroy anything," Sora promises excitedly.

"I know you won't," Kairi says. "Because I'm staying here with you."

Sora looks down at his drink guiltily. "Are you sure? I'm sorry my reunion had to come at the price of you missing your countdown."

"It's fine," Kairi insists through gritted teeth. She makes herself comfortable by laying her coat down on the counter and sitting on it. "So… what's the real world like?"

Sora, after leaning against the counter beside her, tilts his head in confusion. "What, you mean university?" Kairi nods, and Sora chuckles. "I'd hardly consider university the real world. You're still in a bubble. It's more like high school, but for adults."

"Really?" Kairi asks. "I thought it would be… tougher."

Sora looks at the ceiling, contemplating his answer. "It is tougher, but you've got a lot more freedom, so it's only tough if you don't use that freedom productively."

"So it's not as terrible as people make it out to be?" Kairi asks hopefully.

"Oh no, it sucks," Sora wholeheartedly admits. "Get ready to eat ramen noodles every day, have condoms thrown at your face wherever you go, and stay up all night writing essays on books you've never read."

"I hope I'm correct in assuming that there's a but coming soon," Kairi jokes.

Sora grins. " _But_ … it's fun. Really fun. I mean I'm no expert, I'm only in my second year, but it's great. You get to meet new friends, bond with them in ways you never knew could be considered bonding, build character, try new things, be adventurous."

"So it's not all that bad?" Kairi questions.

" _Sixty_!" the people outside in the square begin to chant.

Sora looks at Kairi, raises his drink, and nods convincingly. "It's not all that bad."

"Good to know," Kairi says as she clinks an empty cup from the counter with Sora's drink. Her last cheer of the year.

" _Forty-nine_!"

"So what exactly are you missing out on during this year's countdown?" Sora asks. "Midnight kiss?" he asks teasingly with raised eyebrows.

Kairi blushes, trying to ignore the phone consistently vibrating in her pocket. Undoubtedly Selphie, talking about applying her favourite lip gloss for her big midnight kiss.

" _Forty_!"

"Let me guess—blitzball team captain?" Sora questions with a knowing grin. He applauds when Kairi's blush grows even redder. "I'm sorry I denied you such a cliché high school moment."

"I wanted to start off the year with something crazy, okay?" Kairi reasons defensively.

" _Thirty-five_!"

"And kissing the blitzball team captain is the craziest thing you could come up with?" Sora asks, obviously trying to hold back a laugh.

" _Twenty-nine_!"

Kairi crosses her arms and huffs. "I'm sorry I'm too naïve for you."

"Is it crazy because you don't think he'll ever notice you?" Sora asks. He finds her embarrassed silence both entertaining and cute.

"I'm not that noticeable," Kairi finally mumbles. "I'm not the most interesting person."

Sora frowns slightly but continues to tease her. "Was he going to take you to prom and everything?"

"Well no need to belittle my hopes now," Kairi fights.

" _Twenty-five_!"

"You don't need him," Sora assures when Kairi refuses to speak. "You're already so much better."

"How could you possibly know that?" Kairi asks. Sora pushes himself off the counter and stands in front of her. He notices her blush resurfacing and chuckles.

" _Nineteen_!"

"Because I'm a swimming prodigy?" Kairi questions. Sora shakes his head and faces her with a warm smile.

" _Fourteen_!"

"Because you're a good person," Sora answers. "You were nice enough to notice and welcome me at the door, make me a drink, and let me stay."

"I'm only doing my job," Kairi admits truthfully.

"But you didn't have to," Sora reminds. "You could have put on your coat, told me you were closed, and walked right out of the back door, but you didn't."

" _Ten_!"

Kairi presses her legs together and purses her lips.

 _No,_ she thinks. _I know what you're thinking. That's crazy._

" _Nine_!"

 _You just met him like ten minutes ago,_ Kairi continues to tell herself. _He could still be a chainsaw murderer._

" _Eight_!"

"I know you're thinking that it's crazy," Sora voices. Kairi looks up at him in surprise. How could he do that, that mind reading thing?

" _Seven_!"

"I just want to say thank you and sorry at the same time," Sora whispers. "Thank you for welcoming me in, and sorry I denied you your crazy midnight kiss."

" _Six_!"

Kairi shakes her head with a laugh. "It's fine. You don't need to."

"But I want to," Sora answers. "And I know you do, too."

" _Five_!"

Kairi shakes her head. "It's crazy."

"I'm not forcing you to, but didn't you want to start the year out with something crazy?" Sora reasons.

" _Four_!"

"What's crazier than kissing a stranger on New Year's Eve?" Sora asks, inching closer to her face.

" _Three_!"

"Nothing," Kairi whimpers.

" _Two_!"

Sora smiles as his nose touches hers. "Exactly."

" _One_!"

Kairi closes her eyes tightly, ready to feel the warmth of Sora's lips on hers, but her eyes widen when she feels the warmth on her forehead instead.

"Happy New Year," Sora whispers to both Kairi and his mother in unison with the cheering crowd outside.

Kairi, after freezing in momentary shock, clears her throat and straightens her posture before replying.

"Wh… why didn't you…" is all she manages to stammer.

"Because I'm not that kind of person," Sora reasons with a shrug. "I didn't want you to remember tonight just by a kiss, but by the conversation you had before it. Your blitzball player? He isn't the most important thing in the world right now. It's you, and it will always be you."

Sora then places his index finger beneath Kairi's chin and forces her head upward. "Don't let what this guy thinks dictate what you think about yourself. You're interesting, you're talented beyond measure, and you have a big heart. You're great, Kairi."

Kairi once again tucks her hair behind her left ear. Sora mentally notes that this is something she does when she's nervous, but flattered. It's cute.

"Thanks," she replies. "You're not so bad yourself."

"Why thank you," Sora says. He then tosses his empty drink in the nearest garbage can and prepares to take his leave. "And thank you for being such lovely company. I hope you have a great year, Kairi."

"Hey, Sora," she calls when he's halfway out the door. He turns around almost immediately. "Thank you. Happy New Year."

Sora smiles and looks at her with a heartwarming expression that she knows she'll remember for quite some time.

"I hope you take the offer to RGU," Sora says, "and that I see you on campus in the fall. Maybe we can try that kiss again—you know, after a lot of Nutella frappes."

Kairi hops off the counter and nods. "I'll see you then."

"I'll be waiting," Sora says, and in the next moment, he's lost in the crowd.


End file.
